As Time Goes By
by elsiecarson
Summary: Minerva's happy with exactly where her life is and she wants everyone else to be that way, but she finds through her day teaching and talking to her colleagues that that is unlikely. AU
1. Student Confrontation

As Time Goes By

Professor Minerva McGonagall walked down the halls and through the Great Hall of Hogwarts with a spring in her step for the first time in years. She was finally happy; she was engaged to be married to Professor Albus Dumbledore, her childhood crush and best friend since she was twenty-five.

As she walked down the hall, for the first time since she started teaching at Hogwarts, she smiled at all her students and colleagues. Feeling as if she was on cloud nine, she walked into her classroom with a beaming smile that made her look ten years younger. "Good morning boys and girls, collect your animals and get started on what we worked on yesterday, and remember have a wonderful day." said Minerva beaming down from her platform.

Suddenly a student's hand shot up, obviously with a question. "Professor McGonagall, are you all right? You seem a bit perkier and happier than usual. Something has changed in you." said Hermione Granger.

"Well, you're right Miss Granger, something has changed. For the first time in years, I'm happy and content with my life. I'm getting married to Professor Dumbledore this summer! So yes, things have changed considerably. Especially since I was a spinster married to my job and now I feel younger and much prettier and I'm finally fulfilling a dream I've had since I was a young lady. But that's enough about me, get started on your lesson, please."

The buzz around the classroom was enough that it was starting to give the steadfast Professor McGonagall a headache and was distracting her from doing any marking. She was worried about her students being able to focus after her announcement, and so, using the sternest voice she could she said, "Just because I've made a major announcement doesn't mean I've given you free reign to gab all class. Get to work, all of you, now!"

A groan from the back of the class made Minerva stop, "Is there something you wished to say Mr. Malfoy?"

"Oh, something's never change!" Draco Malfoy replied. "You haven't let up on discipline, even though you say you're happier. You're still a tyrannical bitch!" A groan went up from the whole class. They all knew instinctively, what would happen next. Minerva McGonagall didn't tolerate such behaviour from anyone.

"Detention everyday for a month for that comment I think, Mr. Malfoy, and a stern letter to your father as well." Professor McGonagall said smiling deviously.

A look of panic crossed Draco Malfoy's normally calm face. "No, Professor, anything but that! My father will kill me! He feels I should be treating the teachers with more respect. He holds you in the highest esteem, ma'am, and if he knew I'd called you a tyrant, well, anything could happen."

"Mr. Malfoy, do stop babbling. It's distracting me from writing my letter. Now in it do you want me to include the part where you called Professor Snape a tyrannical jerk, or shall we make this two months of detention?" Professor McGonagall asked knowing she had one up on the young boy.

"How did you know about that? Professor Snape promised he was going to keep his mouth shut. What a traitor that man is!" Draco Malfoy exclaimed loudly.

"Not all things need to or should remain confidential, Mr. Malfoy. Professor Snape felt this was not an occasion in which he could be secretive. He told me at breakfast the other morning and I heeded his warning that you were being overly temperamental, and particularly difficult. He felt the faculty had a right to know what you had done and said to your former favourite teacher. Your father will find out about every indiscretion made by you, as per his request. Now sit down and get to work before I have to cite you for disobedience as well." Minerva cracked down on the spoilt boy that managed to be insolent without even saying anything.


	2. After School

Class finally ended for the day and a weary Minerva itched to head to her private quarters, let her hair down, and continue reading the book she'd started last night, but there was marking to be done that could not be avoided. Her fifth and seventh year students who would be writing Ministry examinations at the end of June liked to get their homework back promptly not matter how long the essay happened to be. Minerva sighed and conjured herself a cup of Earl Grey tea before settling behind her desk, in her office, to mark until dinnertime. Moments later she felt eyes on the back of her neck as if someone were staring intently at her. She gently laid down her quill and turned towards the door to her office. Albus Dumbledore was standing in the doorframe watching her mark, which was a habit she happened to hate. "I wish you wouldn't stare. It's very distracting when I'm trying to grade seventh year Transfiguration papers. If you want to talk to me why don't you come in? I could use a break anyways. Do you want a cup of tea or a cup of cocoa?" She asked as Albus finally entered her office.

"Cocoa, of course, I don't drink tea unless I'm particularly depressed and I have no reason to be depressed right now. Why don't we sit by the fire in these comfy chairs so I don't feel as if I'm at some very uncomfortable job interview trying to pretend that the woman in front of me isn't particularly beautiful?" Albus asked as Minerva passed him a cup of his favourite cocoa.

"If I sit down in one of those chairs I will never get up and I will never get any marking done and my students will be supremely angry at me. They need almost instant feedback or they start stressing out even more than usual." Minerva said by way of an explanation. "Besides, it's too tempting and that means I'll be even less likely to move once I sit down specifically because you're here as well. If it was just me and a hot cup of tea and a warm fire it would be easier to go back to work, but you relax me so much when we're sitting on the sofa that I really won't want to ever move."

"Alright, fair enough. Can I move my chair though I feel like I'm back in school being reprimanded by a very stern looking teacher? It gives me the willies actually because it's been so long since I've been in school." Albus moved his chair around to the other side of the desk as he spoke. "This chair isn't especially comfortable you know."

"Students aren't supposed to be comfortable when they're in trouble. I like to make them squirm a little bit. They're more likely to confess things to me if they're unnerved. I find out a lot of things because of that chair." Minerva said smiling at Albus over the rim of her teacup.

"You're far more cheeky and devious than I thought. No wonder students are so afraid of ending up in your office. When I threaten a student with telling you what they've done, they beg me not to because they were worried about the punishment, but they weren't worried about the punishment; they were terrified of the process that got them there. They had to sit in this horrible, hard chair that made them spill the beans." Albus smiled at his fiancée. She always had a way of getting to students whether it was by appealing to the better side of their human nature or by cracking down on them, all of Minerva's students responded to her eventually and usually in a positive way. "You know I don't know if you know this, but many of the students that come back to visit and say thank you for everything credit you with their success, but they're always afraid to tell you in person because you were so tough on them, but they appreciated it because it made them disciplined and strong."

"I try to give them as much as inspiration as you did when you taught me, but I go about it a different way than you did. You taught with kindness I teach with discipline and conviction. There were always accidents in your class because students weren't concentrating as hard as they should have. My students rarely have accidents that I can't fix. Your style of teaching worked for the time, but my approach works for the modern student who needs the discipline at school that they don't receive at home over the summer. We are both successful, but students are more willing to talk to you than me. I'm not the warm, fuzzy type of person; I'm here to challenge students and I can't do both. They don't respond to warm, fuzzy teachers they just walk all over them and I was determined not to be like that. Lockhart tried to be their friend; he hung himself the instant he made that decision. It's educational suicide and any experienced teacher knows that." Minerva set her teacup down gently and looked at Albus with a very stern countenance. She needed someone to understand why she taught the way she did.

"I know that. You care about all your students and you do show it if people ever look deep enough. You want to see them survive all this turmoil and war and you're trying to set them up to do just that. Teaching styles will continue to shift for years to come and I know my style would never work any more. That's why I always hesitate when someone asks me to take their classes for a couple of days. I don't know if I could handle a classroom any more. It's a talent one has to keep fresh and I haven't. You have a handle on the students and they respect you, which is something that children of this generation very rarely do. I see moments when you are so sweet with your Gryffindors: when you bought the broom for Harry, whenever you set up parties for them after exams and after particularly special Quidditch matches. The students never know that it's you that does all that, but I do and it makes you very endearing." Albus smiled and held Minerva's small delicate hands in his larger, rough ones.

"The students respect you too, Albus, just in a different way from me. They fear me, but they love you. You always manage to give them hope. When I was Headmistress in Harry's second year and again in what was supposed to be his seventh year because you'd faked your own death I couldn't inspire that hope in the students the way that you could. I didn't have the presence needed to do the job. I couldn't gloss over all my emotions in times of crisis the way you always managed to. The students saw through me every time and they knew I was concerned. They always knew when I was scared and both the times I was Headmistress I was terrified. I still don't know how you always managed to remain calm during times of crisis in this school. I admire you greatly for the job that you did." Minerva stood and then sat in Albus' lap as she spoke. Suddenly she felt the need to be very close to her fiancé who always made her feel safe.

"It's a learned behaviour. I learned to hide my emotions in public at an early age. It was ingrained in my brain very quickly. I would never have expected you to pretend through everything that you weren't scared. The emotion you displayed gave you a connection with the students. They knew that they weren't the only ones who were scared and that made them feel more secure. I'll bet that displaying your emotions made students open up to you more because they knew you were human and they could trust you with their deepest, darkest fears and concerns. You must have done a good job because the students and staff praise you every day for the job that you did while I was gone. They were glad you were Headmistress because you were still tied to me and somehow that made them feel safer." Albus smiled at Minerva and slipped his arms around her waist.

"Well it may have helped them but I didn't help me. I was a nervous wreck both times that I took over your job. I never want to be Headmistress; I'm going to retire when you do and not a moment later. The school is never the same when you're not here and I certainly can't create the same atmosphere because I'm not the same kind of person that you are. You are more fun all around but especially at parties. I'm simply too disciplined and I never let my hair down as you do. At least you don't allow me to ever become boring. I think without your influence I could certainly become far too dull and set in my ways. Even a school as interesting and exciting as Hogwarts couldn't have helped me escape such a fate. Only you could rescue me from such an existence and you have. Now I have work to do if I'm ever to get to bed tonight. I shall see you at dinner shall I?" Minerva asked as she laid her head on Albus' shoulder.

"Of course you will see me at dinner. Shall I come and collect you or will you remember what time dinner is at? You don't tend to remember when you are sunk into your marking. Even if you say you don't need me to come get you I'm going to anyway just so you don't decide to skip dinner as you are wont to do." Albus smiled as he moved to stand up. "I'll come collect you about six thirty then shall I? Good luck with the marking. I'm sure you'll get it all done."

"I have to otherwise I may end up in the hospital wing with extra arms due to a hex gone wrong." Minerva said as she flopped into the chair behind her desk, picked up a quill, and brought a pot of scarlet red ink towards her. "If Transfiguration wasn't so difficult a subject I wouldn't have as much marking to do and we'd have more time to spend together, but these students need the work to understand anything at all." She sighed as Albus grinned and closed the door gently behind him.


	3. Walk and Talk

Minerva sighed as she finished the seventh year essays. She removed all the hairpins from her tight bun and as her hair unwound down her back, she ran her fingers through it. She was exhausted and she didn't know how much longer she could mark without falling asleep. She has no idea what time it is and has decided that Albus deciding to come get her for dinner was not such a bad idea. She always lost track of time when she marked papers and she'd done it again. She was stiff from sitting for so long and she stood and walked to the window and looked down on the grounds of Hogwarts.

It was damp and consequently none of the students were outside. Everyone was waiting for a beautiful spring, but it was not as forthcoming as it had been in previous years. Even so, Hagrid was out in his garden tilling the soil and planting what she assumed were pumpkins for next year. She smiled. Hagrid was so dedicated and they got along well despite all the insinuations that she wasn't friendly. Hagrid was like a son to Albus and so Minerva respected the half-giant and in fact quite liked him. Minerva wrapped her arms around herself; it was chilly outside and the cold was permeating the small window she was leaning against. She was still trying to figure out what time it was and judging by the darkness it couldn't have been any later than five o'clock. Damn Minerva thought. I thought I could wrap up for the evening, but since I have an hour and a half, I should at least get going on the fifth year essays. Why do I have to be so efficient at marking? I'm too bored to be here any more, but where am I going to go? If I go Albus' office, I'll never get anything done and we definitely won't ever get to dinner. Maybe I should go for a walk through the grounds and go visit Hagrid. Minerva decided that that was a good idea and picked up her cloak of the coat rack before she exited her office.

She walked across the lawn down towards the lake and was surprised to see Severus sitting under a tree with a sketchbook on his knees. Since the downfall of Voldemort Minerva and Severus had been on much better terms. Severus didn't even realize that Minerva was there watching him which was so surprising considering he was hyper vigilant before the downfall of Voldemort. "Severus, what are you doing?" Minerva asked as she went to sit beside the man she taught once.

"Well, I was drawing, but every time I started something it always turned into a picture of Xiomara. I've been thinking that maybe it's time for me to propose to her, but I don't know how. Can you help me? I know you didn't propose to Albus, but you have to know what works and what doesn't and besides, you know Xiomara almost better than anyone else. Please, Minerva help me. Xiomara makes me so happy, but I don't want her to feel like this will ever be anything more than a fling for me. I can't let her go now; she's too important." Severus sighed. His hair was wet because he went for a swim in the lake to try and relieve some of his stress and the rain was adding to the dampness.

"Of course I'll help you. I'd be foolish not to. Xiomara's temper is almost as bad as mine is and she is beginning to get impatient with this relationship. She wants this to be more; she loves you, Severus. She desperately wants to marry you, but I understand why you're so worried. She's stubborn enough that if you don't propose soon she'll say no just to spite you. She's not a girly girl but she wants the white dress and the cake, and the guests and you. There isn't another person in the world that she would marry. For what ever reason, one that quite escapes me, she wants you Severus and trust me I've heard all the details so you don't have to tell me that she's already had you, but she wants to be able to publicly say that you're together and she wants to not have to escape after you've been together so that no one figures it out. I'm tired of seeing her coming to me in tears. I know you love her I see it in your eyes every time you look at her, but how are you going to ask her? Where do you want to take her?" Minerva smiled at her colleague. She knew he was insecure with himself especially because he wasn't sure how people would react to him being a former Death Eater, but she knew that Xiomara didn't care about that and that all she wanted was to be able to be seen together as a couple in public.

"Well, we have a favourite Chinese restaurant that I was thinking of taking her to. I was going to put the ring in her fortune cookie. I can make my own fortune cookie and slip the ring inside, but now that I've said it it sounds really corny and that's not how I want this to be. How do I make it perfect for her the way she deserves?" Severus was frustrated and he ran his fingers through his hair which didn't help his already ghastly wet appearance.

"All you have to do is say what comes from your heart. I do have a recommendation for a lovely little French restaurant in Hogsmeade that Xiomara, Poppy and I often go to for lunch. They have the most divine crème brulée for two. Xiomara will love you forever." Minerva smiled; she was thrilled that she was doing something nice for her friend.

"But I don't know anything about French food. You'd need to teach me all about French food before I could go. Maybe that's not such a good idea. I'm going to be nervous enough without having to really think about what I'm going to order for dinner." Severus was stressing already and he hadn't even bought the ring yet.

"French food is easy to learn about. Do you have any idea what kind of ring you think you want to get? I might be able to help more with that. Xiomara has talked to me a lot about that sort of thing." Minerva smiled at Severus and wondered if Albus was this stressed when he was planning to propose to her. She can imagine he was. "Did Albus talk to you about how he was going to propose before he proposed to me?"

"Yes, Albus practically drove the male staff members nuts and made the female members of staff green with envy. I think a lot of couples will be getting married now that Voldemort is really gone. They feel safer now. I know that Hagrid and Olympe are talking about it as are Irma and Argus, Poppy and Alastor and Pomona and Filius. I was thinking of getting Xiomara a ruby and diamond ring. What do you think?" Severus asked as he closed his sketchbook and placed it on the grass next to him. He wants his girlfriend's best friend's opinion. He doesn't want to do anything wrong to ruin all of this happiness.

"I think Albus and I better get dibs on the wedding date we want after all we were the first couple to get engaged. I also happen to know that Harry and Ginny and Hermione and Ron are considering getting married. I happen to know that Xiomara's favourite gemstone is a ruby. Maybe you should design a ring for her and use rubies as the main stone in the ring. She would be thrilled if you did that for her, but she doesn't like yellow gold so the band would have to be white gold or platinum." Minerva said teasing Severus, something she'd been able to do only recently.

"Thank Merlin Xiomara's best friend works here or I'd be in big trouble. I have no idea what I'm doing to be honest. Thank you for the suggestion and the help. I never thought I'd get such help from you. Of course you and Albus will get first choice of wedding dates. You've been waiting far longer than I have to get married."

"You think things over and you may come up with some more concrete ideas. Don't overthink it though. Xiomara likes to keep things simple. She doesn't like a big fuss to made of things." Minerva said as she stood up. There was a large wet spot on the back of her robes that was seeping through to her other layers. She hated that feeling, but at least her feet were dry. "I don't know if that helped or not. I hope it did."

"I'm not so sure either." Severus mumbled as Minerva walked away. Half the time he wondered if she was doing more harm than good with her suggestions.


End file.
